Whatl language do you "think" in, if any? In what language do deaf and mute people think?

Question

When ever I am thinking something to myself, I think it in English words in my mind. I actually hear my voice say, "I need to wash my car later." So the first part of this question is, Do you think thoughts in words in your mind too?

Second part: If so, then what language do you think people think in, who have never heard or spoken a word in their life?

Answer 1

Language acquisition is integral to higher thought. Children deprived of language (abandoned or abused) find it very difficult if not impossible to compensate for the lack of early mental development that we get through language and the way it organizes our thoughts.

ASL (American Sign Language) was banned at world wide conference in the 1880’s because of a Victorian fear of “another society within our own”. Until that point the literacy rate for the deaf was very high because ASL was available to children too young to read a write.
Deaf schools and colleges that did not use the oral technique (lip reading) were shut down and all deaf teachers using sign were fired. Because lip reading is about 10 times tougher to learn and cannot be taught in a large classroom the entire deaf community collapsed. That is when dumb (unable to speak) became synonymous with stupid.

It was not until the 1970’s that the deaf community won the right to use sign again. It was finally accepted as a language and not just a form of communication.

Deaf people often dream in sign language. Even hearing people who have been taught sign from an early age have been known to sign in there sleep.

PS: The average cut-off point for fluency is age 13. If you have not acquired a language (including a second language) by then, then you have little likelihood of ever being fluent in it. That is why it is such a tragedy that we do not teach “foreign” language in elementary and secondary schools (BTW: we are not allowed to teach 2nd language to children because of a baby-with-the-bath-water law that keeps ESL children from continuing their education with 2nd language support).

Answer 2

1. Mandarin 2. English 3. Arabic 4. Hindu 5. Spanish 6. Portuguese 7. Bengali 8. Russian 9. Japanese 10. Punjabi

Answer 3

Good question. I think in spanish, because it is my native language, but I think that if a person was born mute and deaf and they have never heard a worn in their life, they probably think in images. You think "my car is dirty, I have to wash it", a mute/deaf boy will probably have images of his dirty car and then he sees himself washing it; he doesnt have the word "car" or wash" in his mind, just what they represent. I dont think that he can think in english because he has never heard a word of it, so he can't think in any language. This is even more true if he's a person from a non english speaker country - like me.

Answer 4

I think in whatever language I happen to be using at the time. If I'm on the cell with my Gran and I'm at the store, I don't think "cheese", because we're speaking Swedish. I think "ost" and walk to the cheese. If I'm talking to a flatmate, however, and I'm reading my list that says "smor", I think "butter" because they only speak English.

I would think that someone who has never heard or spoken any language would think in abstracts, however. I know that when I was learning English, it was actually more helpful for me to associate a word and it's definition with something entirely unrelated. I'm wondering if the human brain is wired to accept abstracts as a standard form of communication with itself...

Very interesting question, by the way.

~Morg~

Answer 5

Currently, I think in English. When I was younger, I would think and dream in French. I would doubt that the deaf think in an autitory-based language, but perhaps, in a more symbolic and abstract language. It will be interesting to see what responses you get from any non-hearing people.

Perhaps we are actually limited in our thinking by the use of language.

Answer 6

Usually I think in English, unless I'm speaking Spanish. Since Spanish isn't my primary language I usually have to sub vocalize what I'm about to say.

I'm not sure how deaf and mute people think, though I suppose you could ask one. My best guess is that they think visually, or through a sense of vibrations. If it's not that, I wouldn't have a clue.

Answer 7

Deaf people do learn English in order to go through school. I mean how can we learn to read and write? Do you think they go through school w/o learning English? Deaf people are actually bilingual mastering two languages: ASL and English. ASL is an official recognized language.

I speak and lipread English, ever since I was 18 months, so therefore I think in English like you. Every deaf person varies on their educational background and language usage. Some sign ASL more than speaking. I've seen some deaf people talk to themselves in sign, so maybe they do sign mentally along with English mixed in as well.

ASL has a different grammar structure than English. For example in English we say "I am going to the store." In ASL we say "Me store." So they would think in ASL grammar structure rather than English structure.

Answer 8

I think in English, but I also catch myself thinking in Korean every now and then. I hear that thinking in a language is a sign of fluency.

I would think that mute people would hear the langauge they live around. They can still hear it and thus learn to "speak it mentally."

Answer 9

"Whatl language do you "think" in, if any?" = in my native language Tagalog. Unless I'm conversing with someone in English, Im equally comfortable thinking in English as well.


In what language do deaf and mute people think? = perhaps in whatever native language theirs is.

Answer 10

I was raised speaking Slovenian and Serbian. I've lived in America for 11 years now. I think in English, count in Slovenian and dream mainly in English but also in the other two languages.